Mechanical horn.



G. C. DEAN.

MECHANICAL HORN.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 22, I9I5.

Patented Juy 4, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l STATI O NARY M W W. N l

' and' copending application tio-ns 4or instrumentalities Aof Bronxvlle, Vestchester' county,

GEORGE c. DEAN, or iinoNxviLLn, New` MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or NEWARK,

' f DELAWARE.

Original application med July 10,

pliragm actuatedorfvibrated upon the rotation of a member or shaft, which is driven' by suitable power means. Suitableconnecwhich are capable of convertingthe rotary thereare two movement of the said member into recipron catory movement of the diaphragm. In the invention thereclisclosed and claimed, I ernploy as 'diaphragm displacing members a series of members preferably in the vformoffl balls, and preferably mounted in guides for forward andbaclrwardmovenient in respect to the diaphragm. These balls, of whiolfi` or more, are disposed a out the axis'of thediaphragm so as to? contact .v

i therewith at points between ,its cehter and .specifically 'claimed .in the parent case. 1 the present application, Ispecically claim Y .those forms in 5o,

the memberhaving'the guides Vv5to carrvthe balls`\ove'r a stationary cam, although vsuch'v "isy broadly claimed in the parentcse virtual f periphery' anddistant though. over, these .distributed thrusts are, from the They are preferably adapted tobe actuated simultaneously, thereby ,securing 'a distribution4` of thrust boutA from the diaphragm center, so

large diameter maybe 'unitary manner even Morethat a diaphragm of vibrated in 'a perfectly relatively thin and flexible.

i .the thrust, elements, perfectly nature o be ennormal to the .diaphragm which' may tirely plane and imperforate. v

The balls moving backend forth in their guides may bere'garded as a species of pistons. These pistons may sreciprocate in piace, the"cani, preferablya face cam, being' rotated so 'as to travel in contact with the balls to force the latter successively 'toward v or against thcdiaphragm. This form I liege 11 which the are mounted to reciprocate whenjtravelingin an orbit, being rotated sraansPiA'llT'y are 'employed tlir'ust' elements, it

anion@ ironic,

MECHANICAL Henn.

In either type a single s'eriesof balls may specificatin of imersgrateni. Pant'e'dgly'i.gigii911, seri-ai No es7,eza. andai and ons appncati'on'meaaiy-' 2 2, i915. serminaaiaai..

be interposedbetween the cam'orforcing means and. 4the diaphragm, but `inasmuch as' this construction necessitates an considerable .amount of slidii'ig action'of the balls onfthe parte with which they are in contact, fric-A v,tion and its attendant evils may be further- 'reduced byutilizing a compound thrust ele'- ment consistingcf two or more balls, one behind the other, in place of each single ball,` Thus, with two balls, one ball contacts` with the cam and may rollthereon while thev otheru ball may roll ontliefdia# phragm, Where the two In L the type balls touch each other. forming the subjectlofl the the slip `beingl confined to thepoint 'iox present application, means are 'preferably ingor urging phragm-'or against the cam, during running. This provision makes it possible to secure provided for constantly and yieldingly presssthevballs away from the, dia"- very material' advantages. In the lfirst placethe' weight fthe halls or thrustmembers lsv-* taken olii' the diaphragm, so that;thelatteriE is entirely nnweighted; and furthermoretlie behaviorl of the balls is renderedf' dependable, because they are normally maintained at'onefextreme of 4their reciprocatory move;

ment. It, will be obvious that means 'for thrust members in a'clirection away from causing a '.force'tc act constantly' on the the diaphragm willbe of advantage in inz stances `where they are of than balls, or where they do not reciprocate',v

or where they are supported by backing be conveniently'provided by coonstruc'ting the means other .than a cam. Such means may guide openings or recesses holding the balls 'in suche manner- Wardthe cam.v r

that 4the thrust members Vare acted -on by centrifugal force, in a di- `rectionaway vfrom the ldiapl'iragm or tov a character otherV l The cammay bea face. ca-.ni-facin'g thev be otherwise formed. employed '1 provide o the guide memdiaphragm 'or 'itmay When a face cami means for adjusting b bers andthe cam toward And from the dia-v phragm, and lpreferably t e meansfor adadjustment, the

'each other, so that, at any hragrn fand' the balls; their! guides, thev dia -ca'm may be positioned in .While the balls have bee] referred toas clearthat vthey justing the two lparts'. aire yindependent off'.

i' he best relation.

may actuate the diaphragm by impact, bcing thrown by the cam more or less freely against the diaphragm. With the cam adjusted or set away from` the diaphragm so that the balls when resting in the hollows of the cam are spaced away from the diaphragm by a distance equal to or greater than the throw of the cam, and with a suiliciently steep inclination to the canrface or sufficient speed of rotation or both, the balls will be thrown forcibly against the diaphragm and may entirely clear the crests of the cams. Particularly when a large number of balls are used encircling the center of the diaphragm, so that an annular volley of blows, as it were, is delivered, this mode of actuation may be very satisfactory. lt has the advantage that there will be little likelihood of the diaphragm on its return swing being checked by positively supported balls.

In the accompanying` drawingsillustrating certain of the preferred embodiments of the invention: Figure 1 a vertical longitudinal section through a horn signal, the horn being broken away; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a semidiagrammatic view showing the relation between the cam, the diaphragm, the balls and their guide member; Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. C is a semidiagrammatic view onthe order of Fig. 2, illustrating the relations in this form of the invention; Fig. 7 is a similar view showing a different relation; Fig. S is a view corresponding to Fig. 1 showing another embodiment of the invention; Fig. 9 is a semi-diagrammatic view showing the relation between the cam, the balls and their movable retainer in this form of 'the invention; Fig. 10 is a section on the line 10-1O of Fig. S; Fig. 11 is a sectional detail showing an angular pocket for the reception of two balls constituting a compound thrust element; and Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the balls in place and indicating the cam and `changed positions of the balls by dotted lines.

Reference will first be had to Figs. 1 to 3, though much of the description will be applicable to the remaining figures, since certain features are common to all t-he forms.

1 indicates the diaphragm which is preferably held at its marginal regions by clamps 2, 3, secured together by bolts or screws 4, and holding the diaphragm between gaskets 5, of cork or other suitable material. 6 is the drive shaft disposed normal to the diaphragm, preferably at the center thereof. V7 is a suitable head or enlargement secured to or formed on the forward part of the shaft adjacent the diaphragm. 8 is a cam provided `with a.

seriesof projections il. 1G is a series of balls interposed between the cam and the diaphragm. 11 is a guide member' or holder for the balls, having guide openings 12 formed therethrough for the reception of the balls. In this particular construction the guide member 11 is a part of the rotor and the cam S is stationary. Since the amplitude of vibration at the regions of thrust is materially less than the complete amplitude of vibration at the center of the diaphragm, balls may be employed with advantage, even though of small diameter, since the extent of their reciprocatory movement is slight. For this reason their guide openings 12 may be of the simplest formation, without the necessity of providing them with means for holding the balls against escape at either end, the presence of the cam and the diaphragm being sufficient to insure the retention of the balls. The cam 8 may be adjusted toward and from the ffliaphragm, by screwing the cam forward or backward on the head. The pitch of the screw threads may be low, so that very fine adjustments may be secured. The retainen l cam and the diaphragm, by a construction which will presently be described.

The nature of the power means for rotating the driver or actuator, the casing structure, and the resonator or projector may be widely varied. I have shown the clamps 2, 3, formed on front and rear sections 16 and 17 of the diaphragm case part, the front part of which is formed with a sound-escape opening 18, from which eX- tends a suitable projector or resonator 19. The cam 8 may be formed on or secured to the rear section 17. The rotary driver is preferably operated by an electric motor contained in a motor case part 20. The motor may be of any suitable or usual oonstruction. The armature is indicated at 2l, its shaft 22 being journaled in suitable bearings 23 in the motor ease part, and a thrust 110 bearing 24 being provided at the rear end of the shaft. The field 25 may be suitably secured to the walls of the case. Preferably the shaft 6` is an extension of the armature shaft or directly connected therewith. Ad- 115- justment between the head 7 and the diaphragm is conveniently provided by renden ing the motor case part 20 adjustable with reference to the rear section 17 of the diaphragm case part, to which end the motor n win be noted am the bans 1o, instead 1wweavers i of being reciprocated -in place, Vare recipr- .cated while being caused to travel in an `orbitfabout the axis ofthe diaphragm. The sp'eciiic construction may be considerably ."va'ried.' In, form' illustrated the cam ineinberyis aring screwed onto a stationary supporting flange 13 so that the cam may beadj usted toward and from the diaphragm.

` 'llheball-guiding member 11 is disposed be- The vnu ing or retaining openings 12 are prefere weenfthe cam and the diaphragm.

ably inclosed on all sides, though being entigely; open at'front and rear. The balls or e ...from the ydiaphragm an'diagainst the cam.

llnQnccordance with a simple embodiment of such ineans the walls ot the opening 12 are 4inclined outward and rearward, so that,

, a part of the head 7 cari ies the balls around the axis of the diaphragm and up and down over the crests and hollows ofthe cams 8.

, lentrifugal' lorceconstantly urges the balls away from the diaphragm and toward the cam, so that the balls are alternately thrust forward lagainst the diaphragm by cam action, and retired by centrifugal force, 0r by the diaphragmor by both.- The constant `rearward urging of the balls insures that they will cop'erate 1n apreliable mannerv with theeam, vand has the further 'andv very material advantage that the` weight'of the yballs orthrust'members is taken off thedia f phraginat the termination of the thrusts, so- AIAthat the diaphragi'i entirely lunweighted `)and mayfperforin itlhs elastic return inovel i,ments to best advan age'.

It follows,` also,

digli-:ovm the fact that thelb'alls are normally "'urged rearward or in a direction toward fthe cain, that the parts may-be so adjusted or ispaeed that the signal wil-l operate advantarge'ensly by impact -rather .than by thrust.

j Itthe spacing between the cam and the dia phragin is such that'the ballsv Contact with the diaphragm when partway 'up .the slopes.

ot' the cam projections, the diaphragm will tribe l,actuated by positive thrusts delivered aatvhro'iighl the balls. di', however, the spacing ori-iadjustment between the cam and the diaphragm be greater, so that the balls do ntfcontact with the diaphragm until they "i:@havereached the crests of the. projections, i' `orif Ithe spacing between the crests of the projections and the diaphragm be greater ,than-Jtlediameter of the-balls, the diaphragm' willibe actuatedbythe balls acting as proceti-les. With a sufficient speed of rotation sides of the cani projections, ornboth,

.Ithe-balls maybe 'thrust entirely v:tree of the',Y .les

crests ofthe projections.

Y cess 12b and constitue a compoundfptlirust st ,meinbers are normally acted upon by y the torce tending to urge or .press them away the rear ballsymay be substantially parallel' so that it is the forward` ballswhieh are 'shown at 31. These twoboresp'iay'll? t witha sufficiently .high pitch onthe for-.

is. minimized and the action of the ich Figs. i to 7 illustrate a constructionvery similar jte the last Jforni of the,"inve'Irl'iOfXvlf,v llere, instead of', a singleball, 'a plurality ,of balls 10b occupy each guide opening jor reelement.4 Preferably, two balls.vk are^emf ployed in each pocket, one ball being ree'to rollupon stationary cam `8b 'and the'l other upon the' diaphragm 1, whilethey are also rolling on each other.` Theeam 8" iss'imilar' to thel cam 8, and the headf', with its'corl' responding parts in the last y-orm 'o; the invention, w-hileother parts not specifically referredto and bearing similar reference"5v characters are similar to the correspondingfgd pa-rts' describedinthe preceding lconstruction. In thef'operation of this forin ofthe invention rotation' of the ball carriercau'se's A :the b'alls/ to travel around the aXis ofthe diaphragm one ball .rolling on the cam, and f the other ball rolling on the diaphragmjat A each contact therewith. rPhe balls'areurged' rearward by centrifugal force, as in the preceding construetimi. If desired, the rear portion of the guide openings 12", receiving 9o tothe axis oi rotation, the forward portions of the recesses, holding'the f orwa'rdballs, ,f

being alone inclined'outward and rearward,

acted upon directly by centrifugal force; but lit will be obvious that all theI balls are affected because the forward. balls press upon the rear balls. y Otherwisetlie opera--v tion is essentially'the same as vthe operation 100 in the precedingconstruction. i 'y l' Fig. 6 illustrates an ad'ustment or spacing in which a v pronounced thrust issecu'red,'by causing the iorwaid'balls to 'contact with the n diaphragm when the` rear balls are part way" up the slopes of the cam. 'lnglililig '7'the spacing or 'adjustment ',isj different,y so that` the iforwardballs do. not `contactiwith the?. diaphragm until -therear balls -have almost -or entirely reachedthei, crests et thecain.

With this or 'a slightly greater spacing, the diaphragm may be act'uatd mainly by the impactof the balls thrown forward byreaction with'the earn.- p l Y* K .The eoi-istruotionl illustrated i-n Figs.v S .to lll-5 1.2.is similar to the two preceding forms' oi? the invention.` Thisie a' construction for securing the greatest possible influence 'et centrifugal foreeor holding the'rear balls in,v contact 'with' the cam. 'To this end the 120- portions of the pocketsjlil receiving the rear or cam-contacting ballsr are in the nature ot f radial bores 30. 'lll-ie portions of the pockets receiving ,the diaphragm-contacting` balls may be -forniedat .Y ht'angles therctowis by 'a tap having .a ioftip," sti-tha are connected at the"y back by,V a L ln this wayjthe unfilledv space in tl al. v

tacting ball in crowding the diaphragm-contacting balls forward is materially assisted. In order to coperate with the balls so arranged, the stationary cam 8C is an internal peripheral cam, with its crests projecting toward the axis of rotation. Otherwise, the cam S has functions similar to the stationary face cams 8 and Sb; and the rotary head 7 and its ball-retaining portion 11c with the pockets l2, are in essential respects similar to the corresponding parts in the two preceding forms of the invention. Parts bearing the same reference characters are identical with the parts in the preceding constru ctions.

In operation rotation of the ball carrier causes the rear balls to travel around in contact with t-he internal. cam, whereby these balls are forced 'adially inward to be pulled outward by centrifugal force. The inward forced movements of the rear balls by reaction with the walls of thepoclzets 1Q torce the other balls straight forward against the diaphragm. According to the spacing of the parts the diaphragm may be vibrated by normal thrusts or by the inertia of the balls acting as projectors as in the preceding forms of the invention.

While in any or all of the forms of the invention the diaphragm might be providral with projections or wearpieces for the recepti on of the thrusts or impacts of theballs, it is very desirable to construct the diaphragm as a simple disk, without perforations, projections or added weight of any kind.

It will be obvious that many of the ad- 'antages of the invention may be secured where the actuating connections are of a form other than balls.

lVhat I claim as new is:

l. In a mechanically actuated diaphragm signal, the combination of a diaphragm, cam means, an interposed series of balls arranged to force the diaphragm at points intermediate the center and virtual periphery thereof, a member having guides in which said balls reciprocate, and drive means for rotating said member.

2. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, a stationary cam provided with a series of actuating portions, a series of loose interposed members, and a rotatable guide member for said loose members constructed and arranged to cause the latter to travel over the cam.

3. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, a stationary cam, a series of members constructed and arranged to force the diaphragm at distributed regions between its center and virtual periphery, and a rotatable carrier for causing said members to travel in Contact with the cam.

a. In a device of the class-described, a diaphragm, a. stationary camming means insane having a series ofactuating portions, an interposed series of members constructed and arranged to force the diaphragm'at distributed regions, and rotary means having its axis normal to the diaphragm for carrying` said members around in contact with the camming means and guiding them in their consequent reciprocatory movement toward and from the diaphragm.

5. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, stationary camming means, a series of balls interposed between the diaphragm and the camming means, and a rotary guiding member for causing said balls to travel around in contact with the camming means.

6. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, a rotary member disposed with its axis normal to the diaphragm andhaving a series of guide recesses disposed around its axis, a plurality of balls mounted in each recess, and stationary camming means constructed and arranged to contact with the rear balls in the several recesses to cause the forward balls to contact with the diaphragm.

7. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, stationary cam means, a rotary member having a 'series of guide recesses, and a series of compound thrust elements, each consisting of a series of balls, interposed in said recesses between the diaphragm and the cam means.

8. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, camming means, a series of compound members, each consisting of a series ot balls, interposed between the diaphragm and camming means, guide means for said compound members, and means for producing relative rotation between said Asamming means and guide means.

9. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, a rotary ball carrier having a series of angular guide recesses comprising radial portions and portions opening forward toward the diaphragm, a cam encircling said radial portions, balls in the for.- ward-opening portions of said recess to contact with the diaphragm and balls in the radial portions to contact with the cam.

10. In a. device of the class described, a diaphragm, a series of actuating balls disposed about the axis 'of said diaphragm,

driving means for causing said balls to travel around said axis, means for backing said balls, and means whereby said balls are constantly urgedagainst said backing means during running.

1l. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, camming means, an interposed series of balls disposed about the axis of the diaphragm, and means whereby saidballs are constantly and yieldingly urged toward the camming means during running.

Y12. In a device of the class described, a

fdiaphragni, camining means, a series of interposed balls arranged around the axisof the diaphragm, and a rotary member having guide recesses in which said balls are mounted, said recesses being formed sothat centrifugal force urges the balls against the camming means. 1( ,A

14. In a device of the class describedl, a diaphragm, camming means, an interposed series of balls disposed about the axis of the diaphragm, guides in which said balls reciprocate toward andV from the diaphragm and means whereby said balls are constantly acted on by a force in directions away from the diaphragm.

15. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, a series of actuating members, a rotar member for causing said members to trave in an orbit about the center of the dia hragm, means for repeatedly yforcing sai actuating' members toward the diaphragm, and means whereby centrifugal force urges said actuating members away from the diaphragm. 16. In a device of the class described, a diaphragm, a rotary carrier disposed with its axis Formal to the diaphragm and having a series of recesses disposedabout its axis, a series of diaphragm-actuating members in` said recesses, said recesses being formed so that centrifugal force urges saidfmenibers away from the diaphra and means for repeatedly forcing sai the diaphra m'..- g 17. ,In a evice of thel classjdescribed, a-

40." members toward diaphragm, a ball arranged tocontact there- I' Vwith, andia rotary holder in whiclrsaid ball 'is mounted and which is formedfso that centrifugal force acts on said ball in adirection away from thediaphragm. Y 18. In" a device of the class describedz a diaphragm, a rotarymember disposed with its axis normal to the diaphra and having a recessed portion, and a diap ragm-actuatf ing member in said recessed portion, being arranged so that centrifugal force acts upon itin a direction away from the diaphra 19.,In a device ofthe class describe a diaphragm, a rotary member disposed withits axis normal to the diaphragmand 'havv ing a recessed portion, and a series of diaphragm-actuating balls in said recessed Aportion, arranged to force the diaphragm at points between its center and virtual periphfery, said recessed portion being so ormed that centrifugal -force acts upon said balls in f directions away from the diaphragm.

sai rotary actuating memberA carried 'b v urged away.

member and arrangedso as to from the diaphragm by centrifugal force,

' es n 20. In aV device of the class described, aA diaphragm, a rotary member, a dia' hragm- 

